SHAKRA – High Noon – Bio 2016

„Listen Thomas, get that Fox back on board pronto, bring together what belongs together. If we wherw

e able to do that, then so should you!“

High Noon – who does not automatically think of the classic western with Garry Cooper and Grace Kelly?

High Noon – also a metaphor for “time of decision” if you look it up in a dictionary or Wikipedia.

High Noon – Shakra’s 10th Album couldn’t have a better title: this is about something, something big even, something decisive, all or nothing, now or never!

It’s not as if it wasn’t as important in the past years for Shakra. Two albums where recorded with John Prakesh as singer; “Back on Track” (2011) even made it to the best Swiss Chart-Position to date at Nr. 2. normally such a dream result can hardly be topped….. unless, of course, you write a Nr.1 Album. That’s exactly what happened with the next one “Powerplay” (2013)! Everything ok with Shakra then? Not quite: John announced his leaving the Band in the summer of 2013…..

Shakra, once again, stood in the shambles of a collapsed house of cards. While Thom Blunier, (lead guitar)

was trying to find a way to keep Shakra alive, Thomas Muster (rhythm guitar) was seriously thinking of hanging up all his guitars on the proverbial wall. If it weren’t for that breakthrough call that reached Thomas on Easter Monday 2014: on the other end of the line – Chris von Rohr. „Listen Thomas, get that Fox back on board pronto, bring together what belongs together. If we where able to do that, then so should you!“

Today Thomas say’s: “of course I’d thought about that possibility too, but Chris’s phone call really started the ball rolling. I had the choice: do I want to be proud until the end of my life, about my 2009 resolution after the break with Fox, never to work with him again, regardless of the consequences? Or should I stop banging the war drums, to be able to be proud of our new Album a year later?

Well, Shakra, as we know in the meantime, went with the second choice. The Fox is back! And how! The new Album sounds incredibly powerful, earthy and fresh! It’s as if Mark Fox (vocals) never left! “I’m not just proud of High Noon, but really extremely damned proud and very, very happy with it!” say’s Thomas. “ One always goes to work on something new with the resolve to give it your very best. If that is so or not is decided by the fans in the end!” Thom concludes. “ but we all have a really good feeling about High Noon and are looking forward to finally play the songs live!”

High Noon, by now the 10th Studio-Album by Shakra, will be released on the 29.01.2016 by Universal.

Chris von Rohr was at the Band’s side as a “special adviser”. All songs where writen by the trio Muster/Blunier/Fox, but in the final choice of the songs Chris also had a say. “ We all know what he has achieved, especially in the Hard-Rock-Scene. So who else should you listen to?” Mark Fox states correctly. As always the Album was produced by Thom Blunier. Thom gave the songs that almost addictive incredible sound. You get the feeling that this is about something, they are banging the big drum! This is no half assed attempt. The opener “Hallo” tells you what it’s all about: right on the button, the guitar-riffs have a cutting edge but still sound exceptionally warm, the Drums (Roger Tanner) and the Bass (Dominik Pfister) driving and powerful and then there’s the chorus: “Hello, hello, hello – are you with me now! A very catchy line that finds it’s way into your ears!

Then there’s the title song: “High Noon” a full throttle foot-stamper, the riffs like a heavy , wheezing steam engine on it’s way through the prairie. Then a quiet, moody verse and after a heavy bridge, everything comes together in the chorus: “we meet at high noon”! That’s what Shakra sounds like 2016! With the strongest vocal performance Mark has ever delivered!

“Into your heart” hits the sweet spot of any Rock fan; a typical Shakra “hitter”, followed by “around the World” with a monster riff, which couldn’t have been any better if Zakk Wylde had done it. Then that irresistible chorus: “I’m gonna ride around the World”! And not to mention Thom’s blues saturated goosebumps solo! That’s big style! Just like the western “High Noon” which even got a few Oscars once upon a time……

there are 12 songs on High Noon, one great ballad and 11 straight Rocks with ear worm guaranty! No experiments, just essentials. 100% pure Shakra! The closer “Wild & Hungry” brings everything together what Shakra is made of: killer riffs, a super precise rhythm section squared off with cool, catchy vocal lines!

High Noon – not just another Album from a Band, which was founded more than 20 years ago out in the boondocks of the Emmental, but THE Album by Shakra!

High Noon – this is about something big! On the 29.01.2016 is the day of decision!